Donald Byrd & Doug Watkins - The Transition Sessions (1955-56)

Donald Byrd & Doug Watkins - The Transition Sessions (1955-56)

jazz | 2cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 700MB

Blue Note | connoisseur edition 24-bit SBM

Allmusic:
This CD compilation collects three separate sessions recorded by Donald Byrd and Doug Watkins for Transition with various small groups. The 1955 recordings (first issued under the title Byrd's Eye View) were made shortly after Byrd replaced Kenny Dorham in the Jazz Messengers, all of whom (Horace Silver, Art Blakey, and Hank Mobley, along with Byrd and Watkins) are present, with the addition of local trumpeter Joe Gordon as a guest on two tracks. The half-dozen songs mix an improvised blues ("Doug's Blues"), a favorite from the swing era ("Crazy Rhythm"), a ballad feature for Byrd and Mobley ("Everything Happens to Me"), plus a pair of potent hard bop pieces contributed by the tenor saxophonist. The second session, recorded at engineer Stephen Fassett's Beacon Hill home, features two local musicians (pianist Ray Santisis and drummer Jimmy Zitano) joining Byrd and Watkins; it was first released as Byrd Blows on Beacon Hill. This set is heavily ballad-oriented, with the exception of the surprising choice of Joe Sullivan's "Little Rock Getaway." Byrd sits out both "People Will Say We're in Love" and "What's New." The final of the three sessions in this two-CD set marks the bassist's debut release (Watkins at Large), and it proves to be the most interesting. Hank Mobley, Kenny Burrell, Duke Jordan, and Art Taylor are on hand, with the music including a piece written for a 1953 movie soundtrack (Dmitri Tomkin's "Return to Paradise"), Thad Jones' pulsating "More of the Same," as well as originals contributed by both Burrell and Jordan. These three enjoyable but often overlooked studio dates from the early days of hard bop make this reissue well worth purchasing.

Tracks
cd1
-01. "Doug's Blues" - Traditional - 12:09
-02. "El Sino" - Greenlea - 10:05
-03. "Crazy Rhythm" - Caesar, Kahn, Meyer - 7:37
-04. "Everything Happens to Me" - Adair, Dennis - 5:47
-05. "Hank's Other Tune (aka The Late Show)" - Mobley - 7:31
-06. "Hank's Tune" - Mobley - 7:44
-07. "Little Rock Getaway" - Sullivan - 7:05
-08. "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" - Burke, VanHeusen - 7:21
-09. "If I Love Again" - Murray, Oakland - 4:41
-10. "Stella by Starlight" - Washington, Young - 3:41
cd2
-01. "Return to Paradise" - Tiomkin - 12:50
-02. "Phinupi" - Burrell - 9:23
-03. "Phil T. McNasty's Blues" - Traditional - 4:56
-04. "More on the Same" - Jones - 10:04
-05. "Panonica" - Jordan - 3:51
-06. "People Will Say We're in Love" - Hammerstein, Rodgers - 3:39
-07. "What's New" - Burke, Haggart - 5:00

Personnel
Donald Byrd, Joe Gordon (trumpet); Hank Mobley (tenor saxophone); Horace Silver, Ray Santisi, Duke Jordan (piano); Kenny Burrell (guitar); Doug Watkins (bass); Art Blakey, Art Taylor, Jim Zitano (drums).

 sample & buy: Transition Sessions 

Louis Smith - Here Comes Louis Smith (1957) (20b SBM)

Louis Smith - Here Comes Louis Smith (1957)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 250MB

Blue Note | Connoisseur Edition 20-bit SBM

Allmusic:
Louis Smith had a brilliant debut on this Blue Note album, his first of two before becoming a full-time teacher. The opener (Duke Pearson's "Tribute to Brownie") was a perfect piece for Smith to interpret, since his style was heavily influenced by Clifford Brown (who had died the previous year). He is also in excellent form on four of his basic originals and takes a particularly memorable solo on a haunting rendition of "Stardust." Altoist Cannonball Adderley (who used the pseudonym of "Buckshot La Funke" on this set, a name later used by Branford Marsalis), Duke Jordan or Tommy Flanagan on piano, bassist Doug Watkins, and drummer Art Taylor make for a potent supporting cast, but the focus is mostly on the criminally obscure Louis Smith. After cutting his second Blue Note set and switching to teaching, Smith would not record again as a leader until 1978. All bop and '50s jazz fans are strongly advised to pick up this CD reissue before it disappears.

Tracks
-1. "Tribute to Brownie" (Duke Pearson) - 6:38
-2. "Brill's Blues" - 8:22
-3. "Ande" - 6:42
-4. "Stardust" (Hoagy Carmichael) - 5:20
-5. "South Side" - 8:38
-6. "Val's Blues" - 6:37
All compositions by Louis Smith except as indicated
Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey on February 4 (tracks 1, 2 & 5) and February 9 (tracks 3, 4 & 6), 1957.

Personnel
* Louis Smith - trumpet
* Cannonball Adderley (credited as "Buckshot LeFonque") - alto saxophone (tracks 1-3, 5 & 6)
* Tommy Flanagan (tracks 3, 4 & 6), Duke Jordan (tracks 1, 2 & 5) - piano
* Doug Watkins - bass
* Art Taylor - drums

sample & buy: Here Comes Louis Smith

 

Jackie Mclean - Consequence (1965) (Blue Note Connoisseur series)

Jackie Mclean - Consequence (1965)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 280MB

Blue Note Connoisseur edition | 24-bit remaster

Allmusic:
This 1965 session pairs Jackie McLean with Lee Morgan in the front line and features a rhythm section of pianist Harold Mabern, bassist Herbie Lewis, and drummer Billy Higgins. Right -- a powerhouse band. Originally recorded in 1965, it wasn't released on LP until 1979, and then on CD as part of the Mosaic box set (The Complete Blue Note 1964-1966). This is its first release as a separate title on CD. The music here is much more straight-ahead than on other McLean dates from the 1960s. The presence of Morgan puts McLean in the position of having to be at his best, as on the stellar opening cut, "Bluesanova," which combines bossa, soul-jazz, and hard bop. Another tight moment on the set is McLean's "Tolypso," a sideways take on calypso that reaches over into hard bop. The interplay between the saxophonist and trumpet player is air-tight and rousing. Other cuts of note are Morgan's fine swinging ballad "Slumber" and the steaming title cut. This is a welcome addition to the McLean catalog on disc.

Tracks
-1. "Bluesanova" (Lee Morgan) - 7:30
-2. "Consequence" - 5:32
-3. "My Old Flame" (Sam Coslow, Arthur Johnston) - 5:19
-4. "Tolypso" - 6:02
-5. "Slumber" (Morgan) - 6:06
-6. "Vernestune" - 5:52
All compositions by Jackie McLean except as indicated
Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on December 3, 1965


Personnel
* Jackie McLean - alto saxophone
* Lee Morgan - trumpet
* Harold Mabern - piano
* Herbie Lewis - bass
* Billy Higgins - drums

sample & buy: Consequence

Marianne Faithfull - Broken English/Strange Weather (1979&87) (MFSL)

Marianne Faithfull  - Broken English/Strange Weather (1979&87)

rock | 2lp on 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 420MB

MFSL

Allmusic:
Broken English: After a lengthy absence, Faithfull resurfaced on this 1979 album, which took the edgy and brittle sound of punk rock and gave it a shot of studio-smooth dance rock. Faithfull's whiskey-worn vocals perfectly match the bitter and biting "Why'd Ya Do It" and revitalize John Lennon's "Working Class Hero."
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Strange Weather: Faithfull's 1987 release recast her as a nicotine-stained chanteuse, approaching such standards as "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and "Penthouse Serenade" with a ravaged, world-weary demeanor that recalls the latter-day recordings of Billie Holiday. She also tackles some blues and jazz material and turns "As Tears Go By" into the gut-wrenching torch ballad neither the Stones nor Faithfull could ever have done in the '60s. A dark, challenging masterpiece.
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Mobile Fidelity reissued Marianne Faithfull's two dark milestones, 1979's Broken English and 1987's Strange Weather, on one CD. Although there were nearly ten years separating these two records, they share a moodiness and faux-torch arrangements that make them a perfect match. The remastering is terrific, as is the packaging, which means this is the way for serious fans to own this music on disc.

Tracks
-01. "Broken English" - Faithfull, J. Mavety, Maverty, York… - 4:36
-02. "Witches' Song" - Faithfull, Mavety, Reynolds, Stannard… - 4:45
-03. "Brain Drain" - Brierley - 4:13
-04. "Guilt" - Reynolds, Reynolds - 5:09
-05. "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan" - Silverstein - 4:11
-06. "What's the Hurry?" - Mavety - 3:05
-07. "Working Class Hero" - Lennon - 4:42
-08. "Why d'Ya Do It?" - Faithfull, J. Mavety, Movety, York - 6:51
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-09. "Stranger Intro" - 0:32
-10. "The Boulevard of Broken Dreams" - Dubin, Warren - 3:05
-11. "I Ain't Goin' Down to the Well No More" - Leadbelly, Ledbetter, Lomax, Lomax… - 1:10
-12. "Yesterdays" - Arkeen, Harbach, James, Johnson, Kern… - 5:19
-13. "Sign of Judgement" - Moore - 2:54
-14. "Strange Weather" - Brennan, Waits - 4:15
-15. "Love, Life and Money" - Dixon, Dixon, Glover, Glover - 4:07
-16. "I'll Keep It With Mine" - Dylan - 3:47
-17. "Hello Stranger" - Carter, Pomus, Rebennack - 2:31
-18. "Penthouse Serenade (When We're Alone)" - Burton, Jason - 2:34
-19. "As Tears Go By" - Jagger, Oldham, Richards - 3:46
-20. "A Stranger on Earth" - Feller, Ward - 4:03

sample & buy: Broken English / Strange Weather

Jackie Mclean - Jacknife (1965) (BN Connoisseur)

Jackie Mclean - Jacknife (1965)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 280MB

Blue Note Connoisseur series 2002 | 20-bit SBM

Allmusic:
Jackie McLean's Jacknife sessions have had a peculiar and somewhat disjointed history in his discography. Initially issued in 1975 on a vinyl two-fer as part of the Blue Note reissue series, it included separate previously unreleased sessions from 1965 and 1966, the former with trumpeters Lee Morgan and Charles Tolliver, the latter in a quartet with only McLean as the leading horn. In CD form, the five tracks from 1965 were offered on a single CD. Pianist Larry Willis and a young drummer named Jack DeJohnette were on both recordings, with Larry Ridley (1965) or Don Pate (1966) filling the bass chair. As both sessions could not fit on a single CD, it's understandable but a shame that a double CD could not be produced including the fine quartet date. Nonetheless, the 1965 group has many worthwhile and often challenging moments for the then 33-year-old alto saxophonist. Of the five tracks here, "On the Nile" at over 12 and a half minutes should be a favorite, as its modern modal mainstream mystery wafts slowly over time like sands in an hourglass, a steady caravan trip with the deep piano chords of Willis, the evocative trumpet of Tolliver, and McLean richly harmonizing. Tolliver also wrote the title track, a sour-toned hard lemonade bopper on the cutting edge considering this mid-'60s time frame. McLean penned the tuneful, enjoyable "Blue Fable" on the steady swing side, briefly dishing out calypso beats. Morgan's feature is DeJohnette's "Climax" in a chopped-up piano riff with the drummer, as a bop line from the horns takes up the urgent, kinetic charge. The only track with both trumpeters, "Soft Blue" is easy as the title suggests, harmonic and warm, with solid solos showing the stark contrast between the approach of the two brassmen and the ruminating piano of Willis. These recordings do not tell the complete story of this time period -- please explore the Willis composition "High Frequency" and McLean's incredible "Combined Effort" from 1966 for examples of the quartet really cutting loose sans the trumpeters. The Complete Blue Note 1964-1966 Sessions four-CD limited-edition box set on the Mosaic label houses both Jacknife recordings. The single CD is quite worthwhile by itself, but tells only half of the story.

Tracks
-1. "On the Nile" (Charles Tolliver) - 12:31
-2. "Climax" (Jack DeJohnette) - 9:18
-3. "Soft Blue" (Lee Morgan) - 7:28
-4. "Jacknife" (Tolliver) - 6:14
-5. "Blue Fable" - 5:59
Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on September 24, 1965
All compositions by Jackie McLean except as indicated

Personnel
* Jackie McLean - alto saxophone
* Charles Tolliver (tracks 1, 3 & 4), Lee Morgan - trumpet (tracks 2, 3 & 5)
* Larry Willis - piano
* Larry Ridley - bass
* Jack DeJohnette - drums

sample & buy: Jacknife

Red Garland - Groovy (1957) (20bitK2)

Red Garland - Groovy (1957)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 220MB

Prestige 20bitK2

Allmusic:
Red Garland's third recording as a leader has him playing very well, somewhat energetic and more inclusive in his direction to span the mainstream jazz palate beyond the cool exterior he emanates. The title might be a bit deceptive, for this is not a project where soul-jazz or early boogaloo influences turned jazzmen into groovemeisters -- it's a swinging groove. With bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Taylor, Garland has all the support he needs to wing it in a variety of directions. Recorded in that most legendary year of jazz, 1957, Garland is coming into his own in a more confident way, buoyed by his association at the time with Miles Davis. Chambers is flawless in his support role, and on this recording deserves a close listen, especially for students of the acoustic upright. They immediately dig in on the opener "C Jam Blues," with Garland at his heartiest during his bridge solo, they agree in the affirmative during the entirety of the hard bop take of "Will You Still Be Mine?," and repeat but modify the melody à la "Cool Blues" in an adept display of artistry for "Hey Now." Of course Garland has to play a ballad or two, as on "Willow Weep for Me," luscious with chord sequences, and really reflects the influence of Erroll Garner in that chiming, two-handed sustenato style for Garner's "Gone Again." It is said that by the third recording, most musicians should have their style down pat and begin attempting to take the music to a higher level. You really hear that in this recording, which was a springboard to making Red Garland one of the most revered and respected jazz pianists of the modern era.

Tracks
-1. "C-Jam Blues" - Bigard, Ellington - 8:21
-2. "Gone Again" - Hamner, Hampton, Lewis, Redding, Rock - 6:46
-3. "Will You Still Be Mine?" - Adair, Dennis - 4:43
-4. "Willow Weep for Me" - Ronell - 9:35
-5. "What Can I Say (After I Say I'm Sorry?)" - Donaldson, Donaldson, Lyman, Lyman - 7:14
-6. "Hey Now" - Garland, Gordon - 3:41

Personnel
* Red Garland - piano
* Paul Chambers - bass
* Arthur Taylor - drums

sample & buy: Groovy

Sarah Vaughan - Crazy and Mixed Up (1982) (XRCD)

Sarah Vaughan - Crazy and Mixed Up (1982)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 220MB

JVC | XRCD2

Allmusic:
Sarah Vaughan had complete control over the production of this album, Crazy and Mixed Up (which would be her last small-group recording) and, even if the results are not all that unique, her voice is often in near-miraculous form. With fine backup work from pianist Roland Hanna, guitarist Joe Pass, bassist Andy Simpkins and drummer Harold Jones, Sassy sounds in prime form, on such songs as "I Didn't Know What Time It Was," "Autumn Leaves," "The Island" and "You Are Too Beautiful." It is hard to believe, listening to her still-powerful voice on this CD reissue, that she had already been a recording artist for 48 years.

Tracks
-1. "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers) - 4:02
-2. "That's All" (Alan Brandt, Bob Haymes) - 4:04
-3. "Autumn Leaves" (Joseph Kosma, Johnny Mercer, Jacques Prévert) - 5:36
-4. "Love Dance" (Ivan Lins, Vitor Martins, Paul Williams) - 3:29
-5. "The Island" (Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, Lins, Martins) - 4:30
-6. "Seasons" (Sir Roland Hanna) - 5:20
-7. "In Love in Vain" (Jerome Kern, Leo Robin) - 3:09
-8. "You Are too Beautiful" (Hart, Rodgers) - 3:36
Recorded March 1,2 1982, Los Angeles, USA

Personnel
* Sarah Vaughan - vocals
* Sir Roland Hanna - piano
* Joe Pass - guitar
* Andy Simpkins - double bass
* Harold Jones - drums

sample & buy: Crazy and Mixed Up /Xrcd2

Sidney Bechet et Claude Luter – Jazz In Paris (1948-49)

Sidney Bechet et Claude Luter – Jazz In Paris (1948-49)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 290MB

Gitanes | 24-bit remastered

Amazon:
First, the Cd is about 43 minutes long, about 30 minutes of Bechet, the rest involves pianist Luter which Bechet does not play on (despite the title of the cd which may give such an indication that Bechet plays with Luter).
Second, the sound quality is terrific.
Third, regarding performance, recorded in 1953 to 1955, the performances by Bechet (on Soprano Saxaphone) never sounded hotter. The performances by Luter are stagnent and unimpressive by comparison.
Dustygroove:
The Paris scene of the postwar years had a real love affair with Sidney Bechet – and it was in Paris that Bechet cut some of his finest recordings of later years! This set brings together material from Bechet's first 2 sessions in France – a 1948 date that features a small orchestra of French players, supporting Bechet's work on soprano sax; and a 1949 session done with a quartet that includes Kenny Clark on drums. Bechet's soprano is recorded beautifully throughout – with a free-swinging sound that's sentimental, but never too much so – and a sense of tone that clearly had a huge influence on many players to come. The CD is completed by an additional 6 tracks from the contemporaneous group of Claude Luter, a French clarinetist who worked in a traditional jazz style that was similar to that of Bechet. All material is originally from 78rpm singles on the Blue Star label, and remastered here for the set – with titles that include "High Society", "On The Sunny Side Of The Street", "It Had To Be You", "Ooh Boogie", "After You've Gone", "Margie", "Gatemout", and "South African Blues".

Tracks
-01. "Honeysuckle Rose" -2:58
-02. "High Society" -3:17
-03. "On the Sunny Side of the Street" -2:41
-04. "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me" -2:39
-05. "Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams" -3:08
-06. "It Had To Be You" -2:40
-07. "Baby Won't You Please Come Home" -2:29
-08. "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone" -2:36
-09. "Ooh ! Boogie !" -2:54
-10. "After You've Gone" -2:29
-11. "I'm Goin' Way Down Home" -2:24
-12. "Margie" -2:25
-13. "Gate Mouth" -2:45
-14. "South African Blues" -2:54
-15. "Snake Rag" -2:53
-16. "Weary Way Blues" -2:39
-17. "Sweet Lovin' Man" -2:48
-18. "Panama" -2:48

Personnel
*Banjo – Claude Philippe (tracks: 13 to 18)
*Clarinet – Claude Luter (tracks: 13 to 18)
*Bass – Guy De Fatto (tracks: 1 to 4), P Michelot (tracks: 5 to 12), R Bianchini (tracks: 13 to 18)
*Drums – A Jourdan (tracks: 1 to 4), Kenny Clarke (tracks: 5 to 12), M Pacout (tracks: 13 to 18)
*Guitar – Jean-Pierre Sasson (tracks: 1 to 4)
*Piano – Christian Azzi (tracks: 13 to 18), Eddie Bernard (tracks: 1 to 12)
*Saxophone [Soprano] – Sidney Bechet (tracks: 1 to 12)
*Trombone – Benny Vasseur (tracks: 1 to 4), Mowgli Jospin (tracks: 13 to 18)
*Trumpet – C Rabanit* (tracks: 13 to 18), G Bayol (tracks: 1 to 4), Pierre Merlin (tracks: 13 to 18)

Notes
Digitally remastered on 24-bit
Recorded in Paris on June 23, 1948 at the Pathé-Pelouze studio (13-18), May 16, 1949 at the Technisonor studio (1-4) and November 3, 1949 at the Pathé-Pelouze studio (5-12)
Reissue of the Blue Star 78rpm discs 93, 101, 107 (Claude Luter), 128, 129, 140, 142, 148 and 152 (Sidney Bechet)
#22 in the Jazz in Paris series

sample & buy: Sidney Bechet _ Claude Luter

Bobby Timmons - In Person (1961) (OJC 20-bit remaster)

Bobby Timmons - In Person (1961)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 350MB

OJC 20-bit remaster

Allmusic:
This enjoyable LP presents a relaxed, agreeable live date, but not one that generates sparks. Pianist Bobby Timmons, who made his name as a writer and invaluable part of the rhythm section in the Art Blakey and Cannonball Adderley bands of the late '50s and early '60s, is a different proposition in his role here as a leader. Although able and energetic, Timmons demonstrates little taste for adventure and, consequently, can sustain himself in the spotlight only intermittently. Still, with Timmons in the company of bassist Ron Carter and drummer Albert Heath, both in their early twenties at the time of this 1961 recording, there would seem to have been potential for great things -- something beyond the sum of the parts. As it is, Carter and Heath provide little more than reliable support relative to their superior skills. Things may have sounded differently to the Village Vanguard audience, but on the LP Carter is uncharacteristically two-dimensional. His volume is about right, but the tone is rendered as an anonymous, mid-range pulsing. There is no sense of flesh, wood, and strings interacting with one another. Heath, predominantly using brushes, is also at about the right volume in the mix, but there are nuances missing and his snare is overemphasized. The players sound most together on the parts they've worked out, but the telepathy that distinguishes an excellent trio from an average one is missing in the group's improvisations. The result is a release that stops short of satisfying expectations.

Tracks
-1 "Autumn Leaves" (Joseph Kosma, Johnny Mercer, Jacques Prévert) - 7:57
-2 "So Tired" - 6:24
-3 "Goodbye" (Gordon Jenkins) - 4:46
-4 "Dat Dere (Theme)" - 0:56
-5 "They Didn't Believe Me" (Jerome Kern, Herbert Reynolds) - 6:48
-6 "Dat Dere" (Full-length) - 4:31
-7 "Popsy" - 6:12
-8 "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers) - 8:14
-9 "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise" (Oscar Hammerstein II, Sigmund Romberg) - 5:30
-10 "Dat Dere (Theme)" - 0:56
* Recorded at the Village Vanguard in New York City on October 1, 1961.

Personnel
*Bobby Timmons - piano
*Ron Carter - bass
*Albert Heath - drums

sample & buy: In Person

Ahmad Jamal - The Awakening (1970) (20b-SBM)

Ahmad Jamal  - The Awakening (1970)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 260MB

Impulse | 20-bit SBM

Allmusic:
The music on this CD has been reissued many times, most recently in 1997. By 1970, pianist Ahmad Jamal's style had changed a bit since the 1950s, becoming denser and more adventurous while still retaining his musical identity. With bassist Jamil Nasser (whose doubletiming lines are sometimes furious) and drummer Frank Gant, Jamal performs two originals (playing over a vamp on "Patterns"), the obscure "I Love Music" and four jazz standards. Intriguing performances showing that Ahmad Jamal was continuing to evolve.

Tracks
-1. "The Awakening" - 6:19
-2. "I Love Music" (Emil Boyd, Hale Smith) - 7:19
-3. "Patterns" - 6:19
-4. "Dolphin Dance" (Herbie Hancock) - 5:05
-5. "You're My Everything" (Harry Warren, Joe Young, Mort Dixon) - 4:40
-6. "Stolen Moments" (Oliver Nelson) - 6:27
-7. "Wave" (Antonio Carlos Jobim) - 4:25
*All compositions by Ahmad Jamal except as indicated
*Recorded ay Plaza Sound Studios in New York City on February 2 & 3, 1970

Personnel
*Ahmad Jamal - piano
*Jamil Nasser - bass
*Frank Gant - drums

sample & buy: Awakening

Miles Davis - Dark Magus: Live At Carnegie Hall (1974) (20-bit SBM) (eac-log-cover)

Miles Davis - Dark Magus: Live At Carnegie Hall (1974)

jazz | 2cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 790MB

Columbia/Legacy | 20-bit SBM

Allmusic:
Dark Magus is a live recording of a very specific 1974 Carnegie Hall date that included most, but not all, of the members who recorded the classics Agharta and Pangaea. While drummer Al Foster, bassist Michael Henderson, percussionist James Mtume, and guitarists Pete Cosey and Reggie Lucas were all present, the key element of Sonny Fortune was not yet in the band. Saxophonists David Liebman and Azar Lawrence were doubling in the saxophone chairs, while Dominique Gaumont, with his Jimi Hendrix-styled effects and riffs, was the band's third guitarist. The deep voodoo funk that gelled on the aforementioned recordings hadn't yet come together on this night at Carnegie, near the end of a tour. Featuring four titles, all of them Swahili names for the numbers one through four, Dark Magus is a jam record. In his liner notes to the CD issue, Liebman explains that this wasn't the band at its best -- perhaps he was referring to his playing, which is certainly unimaginative compared to what the rest of the band is laying down chromatically. By this point, Miles was no longer really rehearsing his bands; they showed up and caught a whiff of what he wanted and went with it. Rhythms, colors, keys -- all of them would shift and change on a whim from Davis. There were no melodies outside of a three-note vamp on "Wili" and a few riff-oriented melodics on "Tatu" -- the rest is all deep rhythm-based funk and dark groove. Greasy, mysterious, and full of menacing energy, Dark Magus shows a band at the end of its rope, desperate to change because the story has torn itself out of the book, but not knowing where to go, turning in on itself. These dynamics have the feel of unresolved, boiling tension. Gaumont's effects-laden guitar playing overshadows the real guitarists in the band: Cosey and his partner, the rhythmically inventive Lucas. Gaumont doesn't fit naturally, so he tries to dazzle his way in -- check the way Miles cuts his solos off so abruptly while letting the others dovetail and segue. Ultimately, Dark Magus is an over-the-top ride into the fragmented mind of Miles and his 1974 band; its rhythm section is the most compelling of any jazz-rock band in history, but the front lines, while captivating, are too loose and uneven to sustain the listener for the entire ride.

Tracks
cd1
-1. "Moja, Pt. 1" – 12:28
-2. "Moja, Pt. 2" – 12:40
-3. "Wili, Pt. 1" – 14:20
-4. "Wili, Pt. 2" – 10:44
cd2
-1. "Tatu, Pt. 1" – 18:47
-2. "Tatu, Pt. 2" – 6:29
-3. "Nne, Pt. 1 " – 15:19
-4. "Nne, Pt. 2 " – 10:11

Personnel
* Miles Davis – organ, electric trumpet with Wah Wah
* Dave Liebman – flute, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone
* Azar Lawrence – tenor saxophone
* Pete Cosey – electric guitar, Synthesizer
* Reggie Lucas – electric guitar
* Dominique Gaumont – electric guitar
* Michael Henderson – electric bass
* Al Foster – drums
* James Mtume – percussion

sample & buy: Dark Magus: Live At Carnegie Hall

Miles davis - Bag's Groove (1954) (RVG & XRCD) (eac-log-cover)

Miles davis - Bag's Groove (1954)

jazz | 1 + 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover
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Prestige | RVG 24-bit remaster 2007 | 250MB

JVC XRCD 20-bit K2 1998 | 325MB

Allmusic:
There are a multitude of reasons why Bags' Groove remains a cornerstone of the post-bop genre. Of course there will always be the lure of the urban myth surrounding the Christmas Eve 1954 session -- featuring Thelonious Monk -- which is documented on the two takes of the title track. There are obviously more tangible elements, such as Davis' practically telepathic runs with Sonny Rollins (tenor sax). Or Horace Silver's (piano) uncanny ability to provide a stream of chord progressions that supply a second inconspicuous lead without ever overpowering. Indeed, Davis' choice of former Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra and concurrent Modern Jazz Quartet members Milt Jackson (vibes), Kenny Clarke (drums), and Percy Heath (bass) is obviously well-informed. This combo became synonymous with the ability to tastefully improvise and provide bluesy bop lines in varied settings. The up-tempo and Latin-infused syncopation featured during the opening of "Airegin" flows into lines and minor-chord phrasings that would reappear several years later throughout Davis' Sketches of Spain epic. The fun and slightly maniacally toned "Oleo" features one of Heath's most impressive displays on Bags' Groove. His staccato accompaniment exhibits the effortless nature with which these jazz giants are able to incorporate round after round of solos onto the larger unit. Bags' Groove belongs as a cornerstone of all jazz collections. Likewise, the neophyte as well as the seasoned jazz enthusiast will find much to discover and rediscover throughout the disc. The remastered CD includes both historic takes of "Bag

Tracks
-1. "Bags' Groove" (Milt Jackson) [take 1] – 11:12
-2. "Bags' Groove" [take 2] – 9:20
-3. "Airegin" (Sonny Rollins) – 4:57
-4. "Oleo" (Rollins) – 5:10
-5. "But Not for Me" (George Gershwin) [take 2] – 4:34
-6. "Doxy" (Rollins) – 4:51
-7. "But Not for Me" [take 1] – 5:42

Personnel
* Miles Davis - Trumpet
* Sonny Rollins - Tenor saxophone
* Horace Silver - Piano
* Percy Heath - Bass
* Kenny Clarke - drums
* Milt Jackson - Vibraphone
* Thelonious Monk - Piano

sample & buy: Bag's Groove (XRCD)

sample & buy: Bag's Groove (RVG)

Sidney Bechet - Runnin' Wild (1949-50) (eac-log-cover)

Sidney Bechet - Runnin' Wild (1949-50)

feat.: Wild Bill Davison

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 350MB

Blue Note | 20-bit SBM

Allmusic:
After Blue Note switched to bop in 1947, it was the end of trad jazz on the label, with the exception of a few sessions led by Sidney Bechet and George Lewis. The masterful soprano saxophonist Bechet led no less than nine dates for Blue Note, as well as appearing as a sideman on four others, all of which were included in Mosaic's now out-of-print comprehensive Bechet box set. Three of Bechet's outings for Blue Note co-featured cornetist Wild Bill Davison, and all of that music is on this single 1998 CD. Since Bechet was generally quite dominant in ensembles, he did not usually get along well with trumpeters, and since Davison could be quite fiery, it is surprising that this matchup works so well. Bechet actually enjoyed Wild Bill's playing because the cornetist played fairly simply and left plenty of space. Davison had great respect for Bechet and is slightly more restrained than usual throughout these numbers, although he does let loose with some heated blasts here and there. This excellent Dixieland collection features one quintet and two sextet sessions with Bob Diehl or Jimmy Archey on trombone, Art Hodes or Joe Sullivan on piano, Pops Foster or Walter Page on bass and Freddie Moore or Slick Jones on drums; there are lots of hot moments on the warhorse material from the two principals. A surprise success.

Tracks
-01. "Sister Kate" - Piron - 3:01
-02. "Tiger Rag" - Costa, Edwards, Edwards, LaRocca… - 3:04
-03. "Tin Roof Blues" - Brunies, Brunis, Mares, Melrose… - 2:56
-04. "I Found a New Baby" - Palmer, Williams - 3:06
-05. "Nobody Knows You When You'reDown and Out" - Cox, Cox - 3:04
-06. "When the Saints Go Marching In" - Black, Traditional - 2:57
-07. "Basin Street Blues" - Williams - 3:15
-08. "Cake Walking Babies from Home" - Smith, Troy, Williams - 2:37
-09. "At the Jazz Band Ball" - Edwards, LaRocca, Ragas, Sbarbaro… - 3:01
-10. "Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho" - Traditional - 3:19
-11. "Fidgety Feet" - Edwards, Edwards, LaRocca, Ragas… - 2:58
-12. "Tailgate Ramble" - Manone, Mercer - 2:51
-13. "Copenhagen" - Davis, Davis, Melrose - 2:49
-14. "China Boy" - Boutelje, Winfree - 3:02
-15. "Runnin' Wild" - Bartholomew, Gibbs, Grey, Wood - 3:04
-16. "Runnin' Wild" - Bartholomew, Gibbs, Grey, Wood - 3:06
-17. "Ain't Gonna Give Nobody Noneof My Jelly Roll" - Williams, Williams - 3:18
-18. "Ain't Gonna Give Nobody Noneof My Jelly Roll" - Williams, Williams - 2:55
-19. "Mandy, Make up Your Mind" - Clarke, Johnston, Meyer, Turk - 2:49
-20. "Shim-Me-Sha-Wabble" - Williams - 2:42

Personnel
Sidney Bechet (soprano saxophone); Wild Bill Davidson (cornet); Bob Diehl, Jimmy Archey (trombone); Art Hodes, Joe Sullivan (piano); Walter Page, Pops Foster (bass); Fred Moore, Slick Jones (drums).

sample & buy: Runnin' Wild

'Rahsaan' Roland Kirk - Domino (1962) (24-bit rem) (eac-log-cover)

'Rahsaan' Roland Kirk - Domino (1962)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 600MB

Verve Master Edition | 24-bit remaster

Allmusic:
The expanding musical universe of Rahsaan Roland Kirk continues its orbit on Domino. While always true to his exceptional talents, Kirk's previous efforts are somewhat derivative when compared to his later and more aggressive sound. On Domino, the genesis of his more assertive presence is thoroughly evident. Additionally, this disc features several impressive originals, as well as the most distinctly branded cover tunes to date, including the intense bop of the title track. As evidenced throughout the album, Kirk's compositions are becoming denser and more involved. "Meeting on Termini's Corner" -- an ode to the legendary Five Spot club -- mimics the off-kilter rhythms of Thelonious Monk. The tenor sax solo that rises through his multi-instrumentation is stunning. The contrast between the lilting flute work, which bookends "Domino," and the stirring tenor sax solo at the center is yet again indicative of the boundaries Kirk would be approaching. However, it's the Latin-tinged "Rolando" that might best display the unmistakably singular sound that comes from the stritch -- a Kirk modified second generation B flat soprano sax -- and the tenor sax, when performed simultaneously. The warmth and clarity are at once unique and hypnotic. Another prime example of the multiplicity in Kirk's performance styles can be heard on "I Believe in You." The juxtaposition of the husky tenor with the spry manzello provides a false sense of balance as Kirk delays combining the two until the final chorus. This produces a surprising and memorable effect, as Kirk's arrangement does not anticipate the finale. The 2000 CD reissue contains both recording dates for the original album as well as a previously undocumented session that includes Herbie Hancock(piano), Roy Haynes (drums), and Vernon Martin (bass). Additionally, Domino was the first album to feature Kirk's live band of Haynes, Andrew Hill (celeste/piano), and Henry Duncan (percussion) on several tracks.

Tracks
-01. "Domino" (Don Raye, Jacques Plante, Louis Ferrari) – 3:16
-02. "Meeting on Termini's Corner" (Roland Kirk) – 3:41
-03. "Time" (Richie Powell) – 3:13
-04. "Lament" (J. J. Johnson) – 3:40
-05. "A Stritch in Time" (Kirk) – 5:06
-06. "3-in-1 Without the Oil (Kirk) – 2:35
-07. "Get Out of Town" (Cole Porter) – 4:49
-08. "Rolando" (Kirk) – 3:47
-09. "I Believe in You" (Frank Loesser) – 4:26
-10. "E.D." (Kirk) – 2:36
bonus tracks:
-11. "Where Monk and Mingus Live"/"Let's Call This" (Kirk)/(T Monk) – 4:12
-12. "Domino" [alternate version] – 4:07
-13. "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers) – 3:15
-14. "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" – 2:18
-15. "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" – 2:21
-16. "Someone to Watch Over Me" [breakdown take] (G. Gershwin, I. Gershwin) – 2:37
-17. "Someone to Watch Over Me" (G. Gershwin, I. Gershwin) – 3:38
-18. "Termini's Corner" (Kirk) – 2:35
-19. "Termini's Corner" [breakdown take] – 2:28
-20. "Termini's Corner" – 2:45
-21. "Termini's Corner" – 4:10
-22. "When the Sun Comes Out" (Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler) – 2:48
-23. "When the Sun Comes Out" – 2:05
-24. "When the Sun Comes Out" – 2:44
-25. "Time Races With Emit" [erroneously issued as "Ad Lib"] (Kirk) – 0:22

Personnel
* Roland Kirk - flute, tenor sax, vocals, stritch, manzello, nose flute, siren
* Henry Duncan - drums
* Herbie Hancock - piano
* Roy Haynes - drums
* Andrew Hill - piano, celeste
* Wynton Kelly - piano
* Vernon Martin - bass

sample & buy: Domino

Archie Shepp - Mama Too Tight (20-bit SBM) (1966) (eac-log-cover)

Archie Shepp - Mama Too Tight (1966)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 275MB

Impulse!/GRP | 20-bit SBM

Allmusic:
The octet Archie Shepp surrounded himself with in 1966 was filled with new and old faces. The twin trombones of Roswell Rudd and Grachan Moncur III embodied this, but so did bassist Charlie Haden and trumpeter Tommy Turrentine, while familiar figures like drummer Beaver Harris and tubaist Howard Johnson had been part of Shepp's regular band. There are four tracks on Mama Too Tight, all of them in some way acting as extensions of the opening three-part suite, "A Portrait of Robert Thomson (As a Young Man)." Shepp had hit his stride here compositionally. The track is, at first, a seeming free jazz blowout, but then traces the history of jazz, gospel, and blues through its three sections. Certainly there is plenty of atonality, but there is plenty of harmonic and rhythmic invention too. The piece, almost 19 minutes in length, has an intricate architecture that uses foreshadowing techniques and complex resolution methods. The title track is a post-bop blues swinger with a killer front-line riff turning in and out as the trombones go head to head. And finally, "Basheer," with its Eastern modality that transposes itself toward blues and folk music, becomes a statement on the transitional ties the '60s were ushering in musically. Here again, lots of free blowing, angry bursts of energy, and shouts of pure revelry are balanced with Ellingtonian elegance and restraint that was considerable enough to let the lyric line float through and encourage more improvisation. This is Shepp at his level best.

Tracks
-1. "A Portrait Of Robert Thompson: A. Prelude to a Kiss / B. The Break Strain-King Cotton / C. Dem Basses" (Duke Ellington, Irving Gordon, Irving Mills/Public Domain/Archie Shepp) - 18:57
-2. "Mama Too Tight" - 5:25
-3. "Theme for Ernie" (Fred Lacey) - 3:21
-4. "Basheer" - 10:38
* All compositions by Archie Shepp except as indicated
* Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, August 19, 1966

Personnel
* Archie Shepp: tenor saxophone
* Tommy Turrentine: trumpet
* Grachan Moncur III: trombone
* Roswell Rudd: trombone
* Howard Johnson: tuba
* Perry Robinson: clarinet
* Charlie Haden: bass
* Beaver Harris: drums

sample & buy: Mama Too Tight

Gerry Mulligan & Chet Baker - Carnegie Hall Concert (SBM 24kt Gold) (1974)

Gerry Mulligan & Chet Baker - Carnegie Hall Concert (1974)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 660MB

EPIC | SBM 24kt Gold

Allmusic:
At this 1974 concert baritonist Gerry Mulligan and trumpeter Chet Baker had one of their very rare reunions; it would be only the second and final time that they recorded together after Mulligan's original quartet broke up in 1953. Oddly enough, a fairly contemporary rhythm section was used (keyboardist Bob James, vibraphonist Dave Samuels, bassist Ron Carter, drummer Harvey Mason, and in one of his first recordings, guitarist John Scofield). However, some of the old magic was still there between the horns, and in addition to two of Mulligan's newer tunes, this set (the first of two volumes) also includes fresh versions of "Line for Lyons" and "My Funny Valentine."

Tracks
-1. "Line For Lyons" 8:16
-2. "Margarine" 6:00
-3. "For An Unfinished Woman" 8:52
-4. "My Funny Valentine" 8:43
-5. "Song For Strayhorn" 9:42
-6. "It's Sandy At The Beach" 9:39
-7. "K-4 Pacific" 11:46
-8. "There Will Never Be Another You" 6:53
-9. "Bernie's Tune" 7:55

Personnel:
Baritone Saxophone - Gerry Mulligan
Bass - Ron Carter
Drums - Harvey Mason
Guitar - John Scofield
Piano, Electric Piano - Bob James
Trombone - Ed Byrne
Trumpet - Chet Baker
Vibraphone, Percussion - Dave Samuels

sample & buy: Carnegie Hall Concert

George Braith - The Complete Blue Note Sessions 2cd (BN Connoisseur series) (1963-64)

George Braith - The Complete Blue Note Sessions (1963-64)

jazz | 2cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 750MB

Blue Note Connoisseur Edition | 24-bit SBM

Allmusic:
The use of multiphonics in jazz has been mastered by very few players, and while at times shrill and thin, can be enlivening and exciting. Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Albert Mangelsdorff set the gold standard, while several trumpeters like Rayse Biggs and Corey Wilkes have tried it with two brass instruments, and contemporary saxophonist Jeff Coffin gives it ago. George Braith holds a singularly unique place in the pantheon of these stylistas, following the path of Kirk in playing two saxophones while combining bop and soul-jazz. This set represents the complete works of Braith on Blue Note in 1963 and 1964 from the albums Two Souls in One, Soul Stream, and Extension. While a consistently satisfying set, it does take some orientation and a bit of patience warming up to the duality presented on a combination of soprano, alto, straight alto aka the stritch, and tenor sax. The brilliant guitarist Grant Green and Braith's high school classmate Billy Gardner on the Hammond B-3 organ are heard throughout, with three different drummers per album. Braith wrote the bulk of the material, with an occasional cover or traditional song tossed in for good measure. Because of the uneven level of song choices overall, there are definitive standout cuts, but the Two Souls in One recording features the great drummer Donald Bailey, and that factor alone lifts the first five tracks. Theoretically, doing "Mary Ann" and "Mary Had a Little Lamb" brings the session down to a childish level. A unique version on alto only of the choppy, Latin shaded "Poinciana," the original light waltz "Home Street" with the dual horns agreeably merging together, and the 13 1/2 minute soprano sax jam "Braith-A-Way" lifts the cache of Braith's music. Hugh Walker on the drum kit stokes the rhythms for Soul Stream, six cuts that range from a stealth, slinky variation of "The Man I Love" (dedicated to assassinated Pres. John F. Kennedy,) the spatial ballad title track, the hot bop "Boop Bop Bing Bash" with Braith's woodwinds a tad bleating, and the Spanish castanet flavored traditional "Billy Told," adapted from the "William Tell Overture." Finally Clarence Johnston is the drummer on the final six selections, all originals save for a bop take of the Cole Porter standard "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye," which closely foreshadows the style of Kirk. Braith adopts a lilting quality for the spirit waltz "Nut City," paraphrases Dizzy Gillespie and Gil Fuller's "Things to Come" on "Extension," while Johnston proffers the perfect small shuffle beat on "Sweetville." "Out Here" is the most fun and playful tune of the entire collection, using pedal point start-stops, shifting bop lines, and tangents that stream out of the nimble beat. Grant Green is the true star here at a time where he was ultimately empowered as a sideman, and special attention must be given to the obscure but cozy and talented Gardner. Where the saxophonist's personal sound may not universally appeal to all, his style next to Kirk compares favorably. One of the truly lost figures of modern jazz, George Braith deserves a revisit, and this complete compilation is quite worthy of more attention as the years go passing by.

Tracks
cd1
-2 "Home Street" - Braith - 6:57
-3 "Poinciana" - Bernier, Simon - 6:17
-4 "Mary Had a Little Lamb" - Traditional - 6:57
-5 "Braith-A-Way" - Braith - 13:29
-6 "The Man I Love" - Gershwin, Gershwin - 5:26
-7 "Outside Around the Corner" - Braith - 7:52
-8 "Soul Stream" - Braith - 3:14
cd2
-1 "Boop Bop Bing Bash" - Gardner - 6:23
-2 "Billy Told" - Traditional - 7:52
-3 "Jo Anne" - Braith - 5:21
-4 "Nut City" - Braith - 5:57
-5 "Ethlyn's Love" - Braith - 7:22
-6 "Out Here" - Braith - 6:58
-7 "Extension" - Braith - 6:39
-8 "Sweetville" - Braith - 6:03
-9 "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" - Porter - 4:30

Personnel:
*George Braith - sax
*Grant Green - guitar
*Billy Gardner - organ
*Donald Bailey - drums
*Hugh Walker - drums
*Clarence Johnston - drums

sample & buy: The Complete Blue Note Sessions

Bill Evans - Everybody Digs (XRCD) (1958) (eac-log-cover)

Bill Evans - Everybody Digs (1958)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 305MB

JVC XRCD 20bK2

Allmusic:
Everybody Digs Bill Evans was a landmark recording for the young pianist and sported a unique album cover, featuring written-out endorsements from Miles Davis, George Shearing, Ahmad Jamal, and Cannonball Adderley. At a time approximate to when Evans was performing with the famous Kind of Blue band of Davis, Adderley, and John Coltrane, and actually departing the band, Evans continued to play the trio music he was ultimately best known for. With the unmatched pair of former Miles Davis drummer Philly Joe Jones and bassist Sam Jones (no relation), Evans was emerging not only as an ultra-sensitive player, but as an interpreter of standards second to none. The drummer is quite toned down to match the dynamics of the session, while the ever-reliable bassist lays back even more than usual, but at the expense of his soul. Of the covers, the solo "Lucky to Me" and the melancholy "What Is There to Say?" with the trio evoke the cool, smoldering emotionalism Evans was known for. He's even more starkly reserved on his solo version of "Young and Foolish." But Evans also knows how to play vigorous bop, tearing up the complicated "Oleo," and he modestly tackles the Gigi Gryce icon "Minority," though if you listen closely, the takes are slightly imprecise and a bit thin. Evans is hyperactive on a clattery calypso version of "Night and Day," with the melody almost an afterthought, powered by the precise drumming of Philly Joe Jones. Taking "Tenderly" in waltz time, Evans makes this familiar theme inimitably all his own. There are three more solos: two Asian-inspired interludes titled "Epilogue" and the demure and ultimately quiet "Peace Piece," a timeless, meditational, reverent, prayer-inspired composition that, in time, set a standard for chamber/classical European-tailored jazz. In an alternate/second-version bonus track, Evans superimposes this theme under the standard "Some Other Time," and it fits beautifully. Though not his very best effort overall, Evans garnered great attention, and rightfully so, from this important album of 1958.

Tracks
-01. "Minority" (Gigi Gryce) – 5:21
-02. "Young and Foolish" (Albert Hague, Arnold B. Horwitt) – 5:53
-03. "Lucky to Be Me" (Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, Adolph Green) – 3:39
-04. "Night and Day" (Cole Porter) – 7:34
-05. "Epilogue" (Bill Evans) – 0:39
-06. "Tenderly" (Walter Gross) – 3:32
-07. "Peace Piece" (Bill Evans) – 6:42
-08. "What Is There to Say?" (Vernon Duke, E.Y. "Yip" Harburg) – 4:53
-09. "Oleo" (Sonny Rollins) – 4:07
-10. "Epilogue" (Bill Evans) – 0:41
-11. "Some Other Time" (Bernstein, Comden, Green) – 6:09

Personnel
* Bill Evans - piano
* Philly Joe Jones - drums
* Sam Jones - bass

sample & buy: Everybody Digs Bill Evans (XRCD)

Hank Mobley - Sextet (With Donald Byrd & Lee Morgan) (1956)

Hank Mobley - Sextet (With Donald Byrd & Lee Morgan) (1956)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 150MB

Toshiba TOCJ-1540 limited edition | 20-bit/88kHz remaster

Amazon:
This recording is a great example of Mobley's solid work for Blue Note in the 1950s. This particular session, recorded on 25 November 1956, features Mobley with Donald Byrd, Lee Morgan, Horace Silver, Paul Chambers, and Charlie Persip. That lineup alone should be reason enough for buying this CD. The playing is crisp and fluid, with the two trumpeters playing in unison frequently before breaking off into their focused, emotionally charged solos. The interplay between Morgan and Byrd on "Double Whammy" and "Mobleymania" is wonderful, as is Mobley's tenor playing throughout the entire disc. This is some really solid hard bop.

Tracks:
-1. "Touch and Go" - 9:17
-2. "Double Whammy" - 8:11
-3. "Barrel of Funk" - 11:20
-4. "Mobleymania" - 8:28
All compositions by Hank Mobley
* Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ, November 25, 1956

Personnel:
* Hank Mobley: tenor saxophone
* Donald Byrd: trumpet
* Lee Morgan: trumpet
* Horace Silver: piano
* Paul Chambers: bass
* Charlie Persip: drums

sample & buy: Hank Mobley Sextet

Pharoah Sanders - Thembi (1971) (eac-log-cover)

Pharoah Sanders - Thembi (1971)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 300MB

Impulse! | 20-bit SBM

Allmusic:
Recorded with two different ensembles, Thembi was a departure from the slowly developing, side-long, mantra-like grooves Pharoah Sanders had been pursuing for most of his solo career. It's musically all over the map but, even if it lacks the same consistency of mood as many of Sanders' previous albums, it does offer an intriguingly wide range of relatively concise ideas, making it something of an anomaly in Sanders' prime period. Over the six selections, Sanders romps through a tremendous variety of instruments, including tenor, soprano, alto flute, fifes, the African bailophone, assorted small percussion, and even a cow horn. Perhaps because he's preoccupied elsewhere, there's relatively little of his trademark tenor screaming, limited mostly to the thunderous cacophony of "Red, Black & Green" and portions of "Morning Prayer." The compositions, too, try all sorts of different things. Keyboardist/pianist Lonnie Liston Smith's "Astral Traveling" is a shimmering, pastoral piece centered around his electric piano textures; "Love" is an intense, five-minute bass solo by Cecil McBee; and "Morning Prayer" and "Bailophone Dance" (which are segued together) add an expanded percussion section devoted exclusively to African instruments. If there's a unifying factor, it's the classic title track, which combines the softer lyricism of Sanders' soprano and Michael White's violin with the polyrhythmic grooves of the most Africanized material (not to mention a catchy bass riff). Some fans may gripe that Thembi isn't conceptually unified or intense enough, but it's rare to have this many different sides of Sanders coexisting in one place, and that's what makes the album such an interesting listen.

Tracks:
-1. Astral Travelling (5:48)
-2. Red, Black & Green (8:56)
-3. Thembi (7:02)
-4. Love (5:12)
-5. Morning Prayer (9:11)
-6. Bailophone Dance (5:43)

Personnel and Recording Details:
Tracks 1-4 recorded at The Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA, November 25, 1970. Track 4 is an unaccompanied bass solo.
* Pharoah Sanders - tenor sax, soprano sax, bells, percussion
* Michael White - violin, percussion
* Lonnie Liston Smith - piano, electric piano, claves, percussion
* Cecil McBee - bass, finger cymbal, percussion
* Clifford Jarvis - drums, maracas, bells, percussion
* James Jordan - ring cymbal -3
Tracks 5-6 recorded at the Record Plant, New York City, January 12, 1971.
* Pharoah Sanders - tenor sax, alto flute, koto, brass bells, balaphone, maracas, cow horn, fifes
* Lonnie Liston Smith - piano, ring cymbal, shouts, balaphone
* Cecil McBee - bass, bird effects
* Roy Haynes - drums
* Nat Bettis, Chief Bey, Majid Shabazz, Anthony Wiles - African percussion

sample & buy: Thembi